Brick-cleaning machine



ug. 14,-1923. I JISZ J. HOFFMANN BRICK CLEANING MACHINE Filed April 25.1922 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 42 Patented Aug. 14, 1923.

iranasrares JOHN HOFFMANN, OF SHEBOYGAN, WISCONSIN.

Application filed April 25, 1922. Serial No. 556,483.

T all whom t may concern:

Be it known that JOHN l-lorrMANN, a citizen of the United States ofAmerica, residing at Sheboygan, in the county of Sheboygan and State o fWisconsinhas invented new and useful Improvements in Brick-CleaningMachines, of which the following is a specification.

Y The object of theinvention isto provide a simple Aand eflicientmachine whereby bricks which have been used may be cleaned or relievedof adhering` mortar or other substances ,to permitl of again using thebrick and of laying the same with accuracy in a new wallor structure;and in this connection to providefa cleaning device which will operateeffectively and expeditiously with the minimum of manual intervention orcontrol; and with` theseobjects in View the invention .consists in aconstruction and combination of parts of which a preferred ernbodirnentVis showinV in 'the accompanying drawings, wherein v e Figure 1 is a planview of a machine embodying the invention.

vFigure 2 isa sideyiew of the same viewed from the outlet or dischargeside thereof.

Figure 3 is a side view from theopposite side. Y- y Y Figure 4 is asectional view'on the plane indicatedv by the linev 4-4 of Figure 1.

The machine embodies essentially a conveyor 10 upon which the bricks tobe cleaned are adapted to be deposited successively or in series andeach on its side edge so as to expose the side surfaces thereof inopposite directions laterally; and this conveyor is designed to depositthebricks upon a transfer table 11 which is adapted to be tilted todeposit the same upon a supplemental conveyor 12 moving in a plane atright angles to that of the main and initial conveyor, said second orsupplemental conveyor being adapted to receive the bricks in a fiatposition so as to expose the end edges thereof laterally in oppositedirections.

Disposed midway orintermediately of the path of the machine or primaryconveyor fat opposite sides of the vertical plane thereof are cleaningmembers 13 adapted for contact with the opposite side or flat surfacesof the bricks as they successively pass between said cleaning members tothe end that any adhering material such as mortar may be removedtherefrom, and arranged midway or intermediately of the length of thesupplemental or. secondary conveyor, which in the constructionillustrated consists of a plurality of parallel belts as shown, there isarranged a plurality of cleaning members 14 adapted for Contact with theend edges of the bricks asthey successively pass therebetween, to removeany material adhering thereto.

inthe construction illustrated the main or primary belt is carried byrollers or drums 15 and 16 of which the former carried by a `shaft 17receives its motion from an attached gea-r 18 which may be driven by anysuitable power or from any`preferred source, not shown. IThe spindle 19of the drum 16 is connected by intermeshing bevel gears 2() with thespindle or shaft 21 of pulleys 22 which carry the belts of theauXiliaryor secondary Vconveyor 12, and said shaft 21 also preferablycarries an eccentric 23 which is arranged in operative relation withatilting lever 24 yieldingly held inits normar position by a spring 25and provided with a push rod ,26A for causing the tilting movement of aplate which constitutes the transfer device 11 and which is pivotallymounted as at 2'( upon the platform 28 of the machine in spanningrelation with the aux iliary or secondary conveyor 12.

In the construction illustrated each of the cleaning members designedfor operation `with relation to the surfaces of the bricks to removeadhering mortar or other material consists of a spindle 29 carrying aplurality of blades or knives 30, and rotary motion in oppositedirections is communicated to the spindles of the side cleaners 13 bymeans of 'intermeshing gears 31 which receive their motion from acountershaft 32 in turn actuated by the drive gear 18 through a train ofY gears 33. The countershaft 32 communi- Cates motion to the secondcountershaft 34 through the gears 35, and motion is communica'ted fromthe countershaft 34 to the spindles36 of the end cleaners 14 by theintermeshing gears 37.

Thus in operation it is only necessary for the operator to place thebricks in the proper relations and positions on the main or primaryconveyor 1() whereupon they are carried forward between the cooperatingmain or side cleaning members and deposited upon the transfer table fromwhich they are conveyed by the tilting movement thereof through theaction of the eccentric, 23 to the supplemental or secondary conveyorand thereby conveyed between the end cleaning members la for the removalot adhering material from the end edges thereo'l, after which the samemay be deposited in the saitable receptacle, not shown5 or removed forsubsequent use in building` operations.

Having described the invention, what is claimed as new and use'liul is zl. A brick cleaning` apparatus having` main and secondary conveyorsdisposed for operation in paths arranged in perpendicular relation,cleaning' members arranged at opposite sides of each ot said conveyorstor acting' upon the exposed. outer surfaces ot bricks carriedtherebetween, and a transfer mechanism for receiving' bricks from themain or primary conveyor and depositing them upon the supplemental orsecondary1 conveyor. Y Y

2. A brick cleaning apparatus having main and secondary conveyorsdisposed for operation in paths arranged in perpendicular` relation,cleaning members arranged at opposite sides ot each of said conveyorstor acting,` upon the exposed outer surfaces ol bricks carriedtherebetween, and a transfer mechanism for receiving bricks 'trom themain or primary conveyor and depositing th am upon the supplemental orsecondary conveyor7 the cleaning members consisting ot rotary deviceshaving outwardly projectingblades for cuttingfengagement `with materialad'- heringv to the surfaces of the bricks.

3. A brick cleaning apparatus having` main and secondary-conveyorsdisposed for operation in paths arranged in perpendicular relation,cleaniimY members arranged at opposite sides of each of said conveyersfor acting upon the exposed outer surfaces of bricks carriedtherebetween, and a transfer mechanism for receiving bricks from themain or primary conveyor 'and depositing them upon the supplemental orsecondary conveyor, the transfer mechanism having` a tilting .table andmeans 'for periodically actuating` the same.

4. A brick cleaning apparatus havingI main and secondary conveyorsdisposed for operation in paths arranged in perpendicular relation`cleaning` members arranged at opposite sides oli each ot said conveyorsfor acting" upon the exposed outer surfaces of bricks carriedtherebetween, and a transfer mechanism lor receiving bricks `from/themain or primary conveyor and depositingl them upon the supplemental orsecondary conveyor7 the transfer mechanism having a tilting tableaxially disposed in transverse relation with the supplemental orsecondary conveyor and means for periodically actuating the same. l

5. A brick cleaning apparatus having main and secondary conveyorsdisposed for operation in paths arranged in 'perpendicib lar relation,cleaning members arranged at opposite sides of each ot said conveyorsfor acting upon the exposed outer surfaces of bricks carriedtherebetween, and a transfer mechanism for receiving bricks from themain or primary conveyor and depositing them upon the supplemental orsecondary conveyor, the transl-'er mechanismvconsisting` ofV a tilting*table, an eccentric and means l-'or operating the same in timed relationwith the conveyors, a 'locking Vlever for actuation by the eccentric,and a push rod connection between said lever and the tiltingr table. p i

In testimony wherof he afliXes his sig'- nature. y Y .i

JOHN HOFFMANN.

